Stewart used to have a late-night talkshow. My summary: the sketches were brilliant but the interviews were kind of dull. I still miss Three Minute Vacation [sigh].
I think Stewart would have to tone it down for the audience. If you’ve ever seen the Larry Sanders Show, there’s an episode on this very topic.
Jon Stewart has had a lot of talkshow gigs, and I think he truly belongs on the Daily Show. FOREVER.
I recently read an interview with Conan O’Brien in which he expressed interest in taking over Letterman’s job.
Clearly, if the logistics could be arranged, Conan has to be considered the #1 pick. After all, he followed Letterman at his last gig.
I love Jon Stewart, and he’d be fantastic, but I think Conan is a ‘safer’ bet, because he has shown the ability to do the entire talk-show shtick - monologue, long interviews, desk pieces, etc.
Conan has 2 years left on his current contract. That might be just about the time Dave will decide to hang it up. He’ll be pushing 60 and his kid will be growing up. So the timing could be right.
There are four powerhouses in late-night television now. Leno, Conan, Dave, and Jon Stewart. Leno’s not going anywhere. He’ll be doing the Tonight Show for at least ten more years. So if Conan ever wants to move to 12:30, he’ll have to follow Dave. So he’s my bet.
But Jon Stewart would be fine, as well. We’re pretty lucky to have four excellent shows to choose from, if you think about it.
I remember Stewart’s syndicated talk show, I liked the interviews, just because so many of them were trainwrecks. The episode with Lara Flynn Boyle and Mickey Spillane was classic for all the wrong reasons.
But I really wish I had those “Talk Show Jon” segments acted out with doll and action figures on tape. The Apocalypse Now spoof where Jon was going upriver to kill Screech from Saved By The Bell would make a set worth buying just by itself.
On The Daily Show I find myself wishing most of the interview segements were longer, I like his mix of serious question and goofing around with legit guests.
Whoever succeeds Letterman I just hope it isn’t Kilborn, dreadful.
Dennis Miller is getting his own CNBC show, guess he’ll be trying to do more issue oriented hard talk. I’m surprised he wound up there rather than Fox News considering his political shift and his weekly appearances on Hannity and Colmes.
Personally I’d like to see Eddie Izzard give it a shot, if those Doctor Who rumors don’t pan out.
My predictions:
Letterman won’t retire for another 5 to 10 years at lest, unless (and this is an important unless) he has another major health problem.
If he does end up retiring soon, the prime candidates are Kilborn and O’Brien. I haven’t made up my mind who’s more likely to get it. Kilborn has organization muscle, while O’Brien’s funnier.
Jon Stewart would get the show that whoever gets the Letterman show abandons.
And, of course, Jay Leno, being evil, will never give up “The Tonight Show”…
I’m voting for dantheman …
Jon Stewart is definitely the best current choice for Dave’s timeslot. As for Dave’s age, Johnny was in his late 60’s when he retired. I think Dave could follow suit.
As for Dennis Miller, he stopped being funny a couple of years ago.
Jack Paar!
What pull does Kilborn have? Is his late, late show doing that well?
Well, if Greg Kinnear’s movie career doesn’t work out…oh wait…
There was already speculation about an impending Letterman retirement early this year. And he tried not long ago to cut his workweek to 4 days and bring in guest hosts - it failed.
I have the sense that Dave wouldn’t mind handing in the spurs in the not-too-distant future. But then, Carson was talking retirement for what, a decade? Came in handy during contract negotiations. So who knows?
Kilborn gets slaughtered by Conan in the ratings.
If Conan, Kilborn, and Jon Stewart were equally available, and CBS was completely free to pick among them, I’m pretty sure they’d take Conan. He’s a proven commodity. One question would be his writing staff - if they couldn’t go with him, the show would be a lot weaker. Robert Smigel in particular would be sorely missed, and I don’t know if he could move - he’s pretty tied to NBC through his SNL gig. So there goes the Clutch Cargo guys, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and a whole bunch of other material.
I think it’ll come down to logistics. When Letterman retires, some of the people we’re talking about will be tied up in contracts, or unwilling to take the job. Remember, Conan was parachuted in out of the blue because NBC couldn’t find a replacement (Garry Shandling was offered the spot, and refused).
Speaking of Shandling… Since his career has slowed down, I wonder if he’d take one of the 1:30 spots?
I don’t see Dennis Miller doing it - late-night hosts have to be apolitical, a little bland, and light-hearted. Miller carries too much weight. There’s a reason why late-show hosts tend to be mild-mannered goofballs from the midwest. They need to be totally inoffensive.
The “organization” in question is the fact that he’s aready employed by CBS, as opposed to all the previously mentioned candidates for his job.
The “organization” in question is the fact that he’s aready employed by CBS, as opposed to all the previously mentioned candidates for Letterman’s job.
I don’t see how I double-posted that, but, somehow, I did.
Oh, well.
I wouldn’t count that as actual muscle, though, when compared with O’Brien. Kilborn has no edge because he’s a CBS employee, IMO.